Final Sanctuary
by MilleniumPharaoh
Summary: A tale of how Roxas and Axel got together and stayed together, how Sora and Riku survived 300 years of living with each other and getting new powers, and how a family of 3 escapes from their old life, only to run into Organization XIII. AxR SxR VxOC. R&R!


~Final Sanctuary~

A light rain fell down in lazy swirls, accompanied by the ice-cold winds in the alleys of a moonlit world. Shadows raced along the ground, following the faint sound of footsteps that echoed gently in the darkness of the night. The rain made the neon signs, oh so often lit like beacons, distorted and hazy, reflecting off of two cloaked and hooded figures, the rain sliding against and then off of the waterproof coats.

"It's a good thing I found you out here on my way back, Number XIII." The taller of the two Nobodies lowered his hood, revealing dirty blonde hair pulled back in a half-mullet, dark blue eyes glistening like the depths of the sea that had changed him. His tanned skin was now paler than it was when he was whole, but he paid it no mind.

The other also pulled his hood downward, exposing a young teenager with light blonde hair, golden like the sun and clear blue eyes like the sky for that which his Other had been named. His skin was tanner than the other Nobody, his Somebody having lived his entire life on the warm sandy beaches of Destiny Islands.

"Many thanks, Number IX, but what do you think the others will do when they see me?"

Number IX shrugged and smiled, warning the other Nobody, "Who knows, but your idiot of a lover, Axel, is fighting with Larxene. They're probably fighting right now, Roxas."

"Joy." The newly dubbed Roxas dryly stated, the two pausing in front of Memories Skyscraper, remembering the first time Roxas was introduced to the rest of the Thirteenth Order.

~~FLASHBACK~~

It was raining lightly during the fading sunset, as it normally does, in the World That Never Was, and the entirety of Organization XIII was gathered in front of Memories Skyscraper, awaiting their newest member, Number XIII to finish his initiation into their ranks.

A dark portal opened in front of the chatting members and they all stopped, recognizing the presence of their leader and the unknown aura of a new Nobody. Xemnas stepped up, the rookie meekly following behind him. As one, the rest of the Order protested in shock. After all, if this Nobody hid behind their leader, not coming out to face the rest of them, what good was he to them?

Only Axel stayed silent, his gaze sweeping over the younger Nobody, finding something in the newbie's eyes that made him crack a grin. Tilting his head to the side, Axel moved a ways away from the rest, the other following unnoticed by the rest, who were to busy arguing to notice.

"What's your name?" Axel raised a slender eyebrow, as the farther they moved away, the taller and more confident the new member seemed.

"Roxas." The younger boy tilted his head slightly, a ghost of a smirk playing around his lips. "Yours?"

"Axel. I'm The Flurry of Dancing Flames. You got a title yet?"

Shaking his head, Roxas questioned Axel, "Fire elemental, huh? Just found out mine's Light."

Laughing lightly, Axel smirked, "What's your weapon, Roxas? Can't be a bad thing, can it?"

Holding out both hands, an ethereal light danced around then, forming into two long, slender key-like swords, one black, and the other white. Roxas smiled, dropping into a lower fighting stance.

"Wanna dance, Axel?"

"Keyblades, huh? You must be Sora's Nobody then." Quirking an eyebrow, Axel smiled viscously, "Okay, we'll dance."

Spinning his weapons around, Roxas brought them back behind him, ready to spring at a moment's notice. In burst of fire on both hands, Axel's chakrams appeared, and he spun them lightly in a loose grip.

The two sprang lightly at each other, both bringing their weapons and elements up to bear. Trading blows back and forth, Axel jumped back a bit and tossed one of the chakrams at Roxas in a spew of flames, catching the younger in the chest.

Shaking it off, Roxas launched a keyblade at the older Nobody, who dodged and disappeared in a column of fire. Reappearing behind Roxas, the younger stiffened when Axel brought a chakram up to his neck.

"I win. _Got it memorized_?" Axel breathed into Roxas' ear, making the neophyte shiver.

"Yeah, I do." Taking a chance, Roxas spun and before Axel could move, pulled the older into a searing kiss. Shocked, Axel smiled when the two pulled apart, a connection forming between them that would last for years.

Stepping back, Roxas looked over at rest of Organization XIII, who had completely ignored the two, still arguing over Roxas' fate in their Order.

"Still can't figure out if I'll be an asset or a hindrance yet, have they?"

"Oh, they'll go on for _hours_ unless someone snaps them out of it." Rolling his eyes, Axel slung an arm over the shorter nonentity, smirking down at him. On a whim, Roxas stood up on his tiptoes and lightly kissed the other boy's tattoo, right under his left eye.

Ducking down, Roxas slid Axel's arm off and started to walk back over to the others, leaving the fire elemental shocked.

"And I still say he shouldn't be here. He looks meeker than Demyx can ever be, and that's saying something!" Larxene snarled to Xemnas, with the agreement of the other Nobodies.

"Be that as it may, he is still Sora's Nobody, and we must watch over him. He could be useful to our cause." The Superior frowned lightly and looked behind him. The boy had been unusually quiet, and now Xemnas saw why. The youngest member was gone. Looking around, Xemnas noticed Axel was missing too. "Where are Axel and Sora's Nobody?"

"Right here, Superior." Axel called out, walking beside Roxas, having gotten over his shock. Scowling at the others, Axel glared at Larxene and Xemnas. "Roxas isn't _meek_, nor is he a _tool_ to be used for your gain. If _anyone_ hurts Roxas, they. **Will. **_**Die.**_"

Glaring death at everyone else, he smiled down at the younger boy. That caused a chain reaction with the others, as Axel was normally withdrawn from the group, only participating when he was forced to.

"Preposterous, Axel. How could he be anything but, hiding behind Xemnas like that?" Larxene tossed her head at the adolescent.

"You know his name already?" Xemnas looked slightly puzzled.

"I'll believe what I want until I see otherwise." Marluxia scoffed at the red-headed fire wielder.

Roxas narrowed his cerulean eyes at the lightning nymph and quietly spoke. "Don't talk about me as if I'm not here, Larxene."

Snarling at the neophyte, Larxene threw a kunai at him, charged with static, "How dare you speak to me that way! Use my title or do not talk to me at all until you have earned the right to call me by name!"

Roxas swept the small dagger aside with his hand, eyes narrowing further. "Please don't underestimate me. It makes me feel like those I work with are buffoons who don't know how to deal with their enemies better."

"Are you mocking me?"

"Yes, I suppose I am, _Larxene_."

"**DIE**!"

Larxene snarled in fury, striding closer to the neophyte, lightning arching around her in waves, dancing and curling in time to her rage. Axel glowered at the lower-ranked member, but deferred the situation to Roxas to see how he handled it. The neophyte cocked his head, stepping out of the way of the Savage Nymph's charge. Sighing, he brought out his keyblades and swept them at Larxene, hitting her squarely and throwing her away. Everyone but Axel stared at the weapons, having not seen them beforehand or thinking that he would have something different, even if he was Sora's Nobody.

"Rule number 1: Don't get angry at your opponent. Keep a level head."

Larxene stood warily, before straightening up to glare at Roxas. She circled him and then sprinted at him. He knocked her away again.

"Rule number 2: Never make the first strike unless it is part of your plan, like a surprise attack."

Number XII roared at the 'novice' and charged him for a third time.

"Rule number 3: Save your energy for when they tire out, letting you take them down easily for crossing you with overkill attacks."

Roxas' keyblades glowed their respective colors, before Oblivion unleashed a black fireball of light and Oathkeeper unleashed a white fireball of light. The two combined and slammed into Larxene, knocking her out and throwing her towards Marluxia, who caught her and stumbled.

Turning, Roxas started to walk up to the Dark Citadel, Axel in step beside him. Almost as an afterthought, Roxas dismissed the weapons in his hands and then continued walking, the rest of the Order standing in shock that the newbie had taken down the Savage Nymph.

~~FLASHBACK END~~

"I still can't believe you took down Larxene so quickly, Roxas." Demyx smiled at his friend before continuing to walk towards their home.

"It wasn't hard to." Shrugging, Roxas followed the other Nobody up the glowing path and into the castle.


End file.
